Gov. DeSantis Extends Executive Order Blocking Business Shutdowns

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has extended his September order, which prevents businesses from shutting down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On Tuesday, the governor issued a two-page extension stating that Florida continues to suffer economic harm as a result of COVID-19 related closures. The governor believes that “Floridians should not be prohibited by local governments from working or operating a business,” CBS Miami news reported.

Florida remains under a state of emergency, and the extension is set to last until it is lifted. The original September order issued by DeSantis stated that the state “continues to suffer economic harm as a result of COVID-19 related closures, exacerbating the impacts of the State of Emergency, and Floridians should not be prohibited by local governments from working or operating a business.” It also prohibited local governments from putting a fifty percent operation cap on businesses.

If a Florida resident was fined or penalized for violating a coronavirus mandate, the order protected them by suspending collections for those violations.